Monday, July 6, 2020

The 337th Anniversary


July 6 marks the anniversary of a major event in Deitsch history, and, as such I'd like to hail the Netherlands Dutch and their forebears and ancestors. 

The flag of the Netherlands

On this date in 1683, the first ship, the Concord departed from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. On this ship the first "official" settlers who would begin the story of the Pennsylvania Dutch nation.


Thus, on this date (it is July 6 in Rotterdam now), the Great Migration of the Germans to Pennsylvania began.


We Pennsylvania Dutch are ultimately mostly Germans speaking a German dialect and bringing together customs from many German lands. We have evolved as a unique "tribe" or "nation." The moniker of "Pennsylvania Dutch" confuses many people, and much of that confusion is due to a change of the meaning of the word "Dutch" in English, which once had a wider meaning than it does today.



Additionally, we call ourselves "Deitsch," which sounds a bit like "Dutch," and, as was the case with the Concord, many of our early forebears arrived on ships that departed Europe from ports in the Netherlands. The Concord's departure was an indelible moment in the settlers lives that lives on in the presence of the ship on the Deitsch flag today.

The Deitsch flag with the Concord in the center.


Our migration included many people from the Netherlands as well. Although the first arrivals on the Concord were German speakers from Krefeld, some of their surnames were decidedly Dutch.

In many ways, your ancestors were heroes. They got my ancestors out of the wreckage that was the Palatinate after all of the ravaging wars. So, on behalf of my ancestors who I know traveled through Rotterdam, I thank the forebears and the Dutch of the current era.

The Dutch and the Pennsylvania Dutch, though we have separate identities, share strong historical and cultural bonds that are only increasing as the gods and goddesses bring us closer together.

Hail to Holle!

Hail to Nehalennia!

Hail to the Netherlands and to the Dutch people!

May your light always shine brightly!


Friday, July 3, 2020

Ministry of Ideas Podcast on Heathenry


Ministry of Ideas is a podcast dedicated to investigating and illuminating the ideas that shape our society. It is an initiative of the Religious Literacy Project at Harvard Divinity School.

In Episode 23 (July 1, 2020), the podcast focuses on Heathenry, specifically the divide between inclusive Heathenry and folkish/exclusionary Heathenry.


Much of this podcast stems from the research work of NYU journalism and religious studies student (now graduate), Robyn Lanz. 

Robyn contacted Rob Schreiwer back in 2016 about using HAH (primarily), The Troth, In-Reach, and Urglaawe as case studies for her Master’s thesis: Mediating Heathen Identities: How Adherents of a Small Neo-Pagan Religion in America Engage with Formal Media Structures in Attempt to Legitimize and Discredit Specific Identities in America’s Public Discourse.

There is indeed an imbalance of reporting on Heathen-related topics in a manner similar to how anything related to Islam is generally handled in the media.

Robyn began to collect inform and data by coming down from NYC to the Philly area for our Pubmoots, for Distelfink’s rituals, and for interviews. She attended Frith Forge as a journalist. She observed HAH activities as a journalist in various contexts, including the Walk Against Hate in Philadelphia in 2019. 

She also attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2018 for the HAH presentation.

Due to covid, the NYU students’ first drafts of their theses were approved, which means Robyn is still editing it for future publication. The first draft made some excellent points, particularly about how she had been advised to use the folkish/Nazitru types as the subjects because (Rob's own words here) those idiots cause more of a sensation with their stupidity and audacity than we do with our work to build welcoming communities.


We really hope she gets it published!

In the meantime, enjoy the podcast. Here's the link again!